Current-controlling device



April 28, 1931- R. D. SIRAGUSA 1,802,483

CURRENT CONTROLLING DEVICE Filed Ndv. s, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I VE ERos D. Sifagusa.

April 28, 1931.

R. D. SIRAGUSA I CURRENT CONTROLLING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov.3 1924 R oss D.

' EIFIK Siragusa Patented Apr. 28, 1931' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IROSS D. SIRAGUSA, 01' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO WILSON ELECTRICLABORA- I TOBIES, A. CO-PARTNEBSHIP. CCMPOSED OF JOHN A. SIRA GUSA ANDNATHAN GOLD- MAN, BOTH 01' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS cunnnm-conrnomme 'nnvrcn 1Application filed November 8, 1924. Serial 1T0. 747,578.

This invention relates to a method of and apgaratus for controllingelectric current.

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ne of the objects of the invention is to provide a method of operationwhereby an electric current, having been initiated by suitable means ina suitable circuit will automatically cease to flow upon. occurrence ofa changed condition in the circuit, without the intervention of anymechanically movable arts.

Another object is to provide a method of charging storage batterieswhereby the counseries in said circuit, and a push button switchdescription when taken in conjunction wit the drawings, wherein tocontrol a circuit to momentarily heat said filament and thereby initiatecurrent flow in the charging circuit.

A further object is to provide improved apparatus for carrying t einvention lnto effect.

Other objects, advantages and benefits will hereinafter appear toerso'ns skilled in the art from a consideration of the followin Figure 1is an elevation of a current rectifying device embodying theinvention.Figure 2 is a plan view of the devlce. Figure 3 is an enlarged sectionalview taken through a vertical plane substantially on line 33 of Figure4.

Fi ure 4 is a similar view taken through a horizontal plane on line 4--4of Figure 3.

Figure5 is a plan view of a transformer core.

Figure 6 is an end viewthereof.

Figure 7 is a diagram of circuits. In all the views, the same referencecharacters indicate similar parts.

In the drawings, I have shown an apparatus well adapted for carrying theinvention into effect, wherein 10 is a transformer having a rectangularcore 11 of peculiar formation and overlying coils 12, 12". In theparticular embodiment the primary coil 13, shown in the diagram ofcircuits in Figure 7, is wound next to the core and secondary coils are,in Fig. 3, shown to be on the outside thereof. In Figure 4, theterminalsof the secondary circuit of the transformer and conductingwires are shown corresponding with the terminals and'wires shown inFigure-7. The terminal 15 is connected to one end of the secondary coiland the terminal 16 to the other end thereof. The coils are connectedtogether at 12a as a s in 'le'coil designated by numeral 14 in Figure Atap 17 is connected to an intermediate point of the coil and between thetap terminal 17 and the terminal 15 there is impressed in operationabout two volts, and between the tap terminal 17 and the terminal 16there is impressed in oporation about 21.5 volts, and there is a fall ofpotential of 23.5 volts between the terminals 15 and 16. The terminals18 and 19, of the primarycoil 13, are connected to the service wires20-21. r

The core of the transformer is built up of laminae, each of U-shapedformation consist-'v ing of the legs 22, 23 and the yoke 24. At the endof the legs 22 and 23, and in a horizontal plane therewith, is astraight bridging piece 25. ,The next U-shaped piece, or

lamina,.to be placed upon the core is reversed in position so that itsstraight piece 25 will come in the position that the yoke 24 occupies inthe preceding lamina as shown in Fig.- 5. By this means of building upthe transformer num, is placed around the devices forming the rectifierand, being non-magnetic, is therefore not vibratorily responsive to thevarycore, the core pieces can be placed inside of v ing magnetic changesthat take place inside of the casing. The casing will not thereforevibrate with the magnetic impulses and, Therefore, the device issubstantially noiseess. i

A plate27 of insulating material is mounted in the upper end of thecasing 26 for the purpose of supporting the sockets 28 and 29' thesafety fuse 31 which is connected by the wire 41 to the tube terminal 42of the tube 30. The electron plate 43 is shown within the tube and thefilament 44 is connected by wire 45 to the. terminal 15 of the secondarycoil of the transformer. Wire 46 con ects the other terminal of thefilament to e termihal 17 which a tap fromthe coil-14 of thetransformer.

The operation of the as follows: j

The transformer has a primary coil having a fall of potential of 110volts and a secondary device. is substantially coil, for example of 23.5voltsstepped down from the 110 volts.

An electron tube 30, of the ionization type, is used in the secondarycircuit, as shown. Anfiylltube of this character that ionizes, has a 'tecurrent requirement to keep up the ionization or the fiow of'electronsbetween its enclosed elements. In the particular case, the currentrequired as a minimum for this purpose is 1.6 am eres, that is,'with oneside of the filament disconnected b the push button switch 35, .acurrent loa of 1.6 amperes through the tube will be just enough tocontinue the flow of electrons in the tube and maintain it in operation.When the current goes below 1.6 amperes the ionizing effect of the tube,or the flow of electrons between the plate and filament will immediatelycease and thecircuit will, substantially, be opened as a result of thisaction, and no current will flow from the source of supply to'thebattery, or vice versa as before, until the filament is against he atedby an outside agency. When .the push button switch is closed by pressureupon one element of the switch,.the charging current, with the filamentin an incandescent state, will amount to about 3.75 amperes. Thepush'button switch is closed only for a few seconds, and then opened, oruntil the filament becomes sufiiciently heated to start the flow ofelectrons between the elements of the tube and the consequent flow ofcurrent in the charging circuit is established. After this effect hasbeen produced, the push button switch is opened and the current willcontinue to flow as before, but the resistance will in-- crease to someextent and the result is that a current of 3.25 amperes will now flowthrough the battery. A current of 3.25 amperes;,w1ll continue to flowfrom the source of current, or from the secondary coil of thetransformer through the battery until the counter-electromotive force ofthe battery, as a result of being charged, is of such value that it willreduce the current flowing through the charging circuit to v less than1.6 amperes, whereupon the battery' will be substantially fully chargedand the circuit will be thereby opened by the cessation of the flow ofelectrons between the elements of the tube. This cessation of the flowof current to the batter will occur at a predetermined time and willautomatically performed, without requiring any mechanical movement ofany parts of thedevice.

I have found from actual experiment, that that the results described areaccomplished in "the manner stated.

I have her ein shown a single embodiment of my invention for the purposeof clear disclosure, but it is manifest that many changes may be made inthe arrangement, configure tion and pro ortioning of the] devicesdisclosed are wit 'n the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

- Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a'thermionic rectifying valve having a heatingelement, a stora e batterg, a charging circuit including sai valve ansaid battery in series circuit -relation, means for temporarilyenergizing said heater element to initiate charging action of saidvalve, said valve being adapted to sustain charging action while thecurrent there-' through is above a predetermined valve, means forimpressing on said charging circuit an alternating voltage of such valuethat charging action is automatically stopped by said valve when thecounter voltage of said battery increases to its fully charged value.

2. In combination, a5 source of alternating voltagp, a thermionic.rectifying) valve having a eating element, a storage charged from saidsource by means of attery tobe said rectifier, means for temporarilyener said heater element to start the charm 0 said battery, said valvehaving the characteristic of thereafter continuing rectification aslongl as the current there'through is above a pro etermined valve, andmeans for impressmg an alternating voltage on said valve and battery ofsuch a value in to said characteristic that rectification 1sautomatically m stopped by said valve when the counter voltage of thebattery attains its fully charged .v ue.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribedmy name. 7 1i ROSS D.SIBAGUSA.

